In a court filing, Abdulrahman Alharbi claims the political commentator smeared his name.

A Boston man searched by authorities in the days following the Marathon bombings is suing a national media outlet and radio personality for defamation and slander after the network allegedly continued to implicate him as a possible suspect, even when he was cleared of any wrongdoing by federal investigators.

According to court documents, Abdulrahman Alharbi, a Saudi Arabian student who lives in Revere, became the focus of public speculation for a brief time during the search for those responsible for setting off two pressure cooker bombs on Boylston Street. Alharbi claims that political commentator Glenn Beck and the company that carries his show, The Blaze, smeared his name in the media even after Alharbi was no longer the subject of the investigation.

“On and after April 15, Beck broadcast repeated statements distributed and published to others…identifying Alharbi as an active participant in the crimes that were committed in Boston,” Alharbi’s lawyer, Peter Haley, wrote in a six-page filing dated March 28 in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. “Beck falsely accused Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston Marathon…the statements made by Beck were false.”

The court document goes on to say that because of Beck’s statements made on national media platforms, which later were syndicated to other networks, Alharbi’s reputation has been “substantially and severely” damaged. Alharbi’s lawyer said his client has been inundated with hateful messages online accusing him of being a “murderer” and “child killer,” as well as a terrorist.

Beck’s claims were based on initial news reports that surfaced almost immediately after the bombings last year. As reports poured in, and media outlets grasped at whatever leads they deemed viable or suspicious in nature, Alharbi’s name began to circulate.

Federal authorities questioned Alharbi, who was injured when the bombs went off near the finish line, as he walked to meet friends for lunch, while he lay in his hospital bed with minor injuries sustained in the attack. With permission from Alharbi investigators raided his apartment in Revere to conduct a search. According to The Islamic Monthly, who interviewed Alharbi one month after he was first implicated as a possible suspect, “the media discovered his full address and publicized it while filming the FBI search of his apartment. By early Tuesday, reports of his full name and photos from his Facebook account were circulated.”

He was later exonerated by The Washington Post, and authorities said he was merely a “witness,” but Alharbi told The Islamic Monthly he feared for his life after being pegged as a possible terrorist. “The responsible officials quickly concluded that Mr. Alharbi, other then being injured in the attacks, had no involvement in the attacks,” his lawyer said.

Although nothing turned up as a result of that search and Alharbi was later acquitted of any suspicions and outlets stopped focusing on Alharbi, according to the court documents Beck continued to apply pressure to federal investigators, blasting them for not detaining Alharbi for further questioning. “[Beck] repeatedly questioned the motives of federal officials in failing to pursue or detain Alharbi,” Haley wrote. “[He] repeatedly and falsely accused Mr. Alharbi of being a criminal who had funded the attacks that took place at the Boston marathon. Those statements were made widely and publicly. The statements were false and caused grave injury to the plaintiff.”

Alharbi is accusing Beck of one count of defamation, and one count of defamation with malice. He’s asking that the courts determine the amount of damages they think this alleged defamation caused as well covering the cost of attorney’s fees.

Boston reached out to Alharbi for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

This isn’t the first example of a lawsuit filed by people wrongly accused of being the alleged Marathon bombing suspects. Two Boston-area men who had bags on their backs were splashed on the front cover of the New York Post as the investigation and search for the bombers continued. Those men, labeled by the Post as “Bag Men,” sued the newspaper for libel. That case is still pending.

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Snake Plissken

It about time someone sued that Anti-American filth and made him accountable for the sewage that spews from his mouth

jedward1000

You folks are silly. I have a brother who moved up there for school, never came home and now he is a “eco-warrior”
I really like the city there, the history, the old architecture, but man the thinking has gotten so leftist it’s nuts.

I am not a supporter of Beck, but the suit is going nowhere.
We in the US parse a private person vs a public person in probative burdens on slander and libel.
Many public persons put themselves in that category willingly by running for office or becoming celebrities. But you can often become this simply by being subject of a federal investigation — even if cleared.
The plaintive is almost certainly going to be ruled a public person, triggering intent requirements which are all but impossible to prove.

Of course you look at it, since that picture isn’t real. That’s the modern conservative: unable to tell fantasy from reality and living in his own head.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Yes, nothing about Owebama is real. From his fake birth certificate to his sealed records.

John Wilcox

Hey Donald Trump, where ya’ been?

Kumquat

The truth comes out…you’re a birther. No wonder you dig Glen Beck.

John Wilcox

Nice potbelly. Conservatives do love their twinkies and ho ho’s.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

And Democraps love their hoes.

jedward1000

Wow Charles, that is all you got. Nothing pithy or even witty? I thought the leftists were so intelligent and clever.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Chuck (named after a personal habit of his) is actually a bit slow. You can tell that by the way he types.

CitizenCharlesFosterKane

I lower myself to Gary’s level. He wouldn’t understand anything else. And leftist? The 1950s called and want their pejoratives back.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Yeah, it’s so ’50s. Regressive is the new hip in word. And you couldn’t reach my level with a elevator.

jedward1000

Nice two dollar word charlie.

Joe Crowe

The 1930s called and they want their socialists back.

John Wilcox

I’ll bet somebody had to turn it around for her just before the picture was taken. #notkidding

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

She saw you coming and she instinctively pointed.

CitizenCharlesFosterKane

Oh, guns upset me? The Walther PPK I own must not actually be a gun then.

Kumquat

If it were some redneck waving that gun around, Glen Beck might feature him on his show.

How many guns does Glen Beck own, I wonder?

jedward1000

The DOJ and administration are upset and they finally found someone with deep enough pockets to do some dirty work for them.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Lawfare is part and parcel of pislam. With the number of shysters in the US eager and willing to do their dirty work, the arselifters know they can hit the motherload.

carolinindy

Dont worry about GB. He’ll be just fine.

Kathy Clark

Glenn Beck has never been “just fine.”

Glenn Beck is a delusional psychopath who needs to be put in a straight-jack & padded cell.

carolinindy

hahahah Kathyclark.
Too funny!

Kathy Clark

carol

Glenn Beck’s untreated mental illness is nothing to laugh at

but ….

Glenn Beck’s untreated mental illness is something that landed him in the forefront of a libel lawsuit.

carolinindy

Untreated mental illness? He has more money than God & this lawsuit will be settled in no time. This will cost pennies to settle.
No need to get all pissy. Like i said an hour ago, GB will be just fine.
Buh -Bye
have a great day 😛

Kathy Clark

Carol

Glenn Beck is a delusional, paranoid psychopath which is part of Beck’s untreated mental illness.

I find it amusing that you think that simply because Beck has money, he, therefore, according to you, must not have an untreated mental illness.

You, too, are delusional – and very wrong – if you think Glenn Beck will be able to spend “pennies” to “settle” this defamation lawsuit.

As I said above, Glenn Beck has never been “just fine.”

Glenn Beck is a delusional psychopath who needs to be put in a straight-jack & padded cell.

carolinindy

well., kathy, I guess we will just have to wait and see won’t we? one of us will be wrong. let’s see who is the better person. If it wouldn’t take three years to get this case to trial, I would expect an apology. But… who knows where I will be let alone yourself when this case is settled.

Kathy Clark

No Carol, we will not just have to “wait and see” as those of us with functioning brains understand defamation that Glenn Beck intentionally, willfully & with malice slandered this man and will not …. NOT … simply spend “pennies” to “settle” this defamation lawsuit.

As for “where I will be” when Beck is found guilty of slander … whatever my GPS is at that time you can bank on the fact that I will be smiling while Glenn Beck is rolled up in the fetal position & crying like a baby.

tammytnt

OMG another dumbed down liberal kool aid drinker

Kimberly Lawrence

Kathy it is like throwing intelligence into a room of idiots that can’t catch….If they don’t like it sue me. I would hate to be that guy! Now I will move on, never to return to this page, I hope they madly respond to me when I am gone. There is absolutely no importance in their view. I believe I speak for the majority…..have a nice day!

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

I hope Beck’s lawyers force him to the witness stand and make him squirm.

Kathy Clark

Glenn Beck is at home laying in the fetal position crying like a baby right now.

Glenn Beck is scared to death of this lawsuit as this lawsuit will expose Beck’s untreated mental illness … and … AND … expose Beck for the pathological liar that he is.

Ha!

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Is that your clock going “cuckoo! cuckoo!” or is it you?

Kathy Clark

umm … Gary … the “cuckoo! cuckoo!” you hear are the imaginary voices in your head.

But Gary, remember, there is hope if you seek medical help because Obamacare will cover the cost of your medical treatment and … luckily through Obamacare your insurance company will not be able to deny coverage for your pre-existing condition.

Three cheers for Obamacare!

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Stop lying.

That_Guy

And increase your individual market premiums by an average of 41%. Another three cheers?

Kathy Clark

That_guy

Your comment is a lie started by rightwinged nutjobs who do cannot differentiate fiction from reality.

1) Your Dailymail link does NOT say Obamacare will “increase individual market premiums by an average of 41%”

2) Your Washingtonpost link does NOT say Obamacare will “increase individual market premiums by an average of 41%”

3) Your obamacarefact link does NOT say Obamacare will “increase individual market premiums by an average of 41%”

4) Your forbes link is a story written by rightwinged nutjob Avik Roy who has been writing rightwinged lies for years.

So, answer the question: did you fail basic 1st grade reading or are you one of those rightwingers who posts links hoping no one reads the links and finds out you’re lying?

Kimberly Lawrence

Not mine. I got a great deal. I have been stuck in a high premium insurance since I found out I had cancer. Obamacare has set me free! Get use to it it is here to stay and he will go down in history for providing this country with a law that will exceed even his expectation because helping Americans with health care was the right thing to do….what took us so long damn it!

carolinindy

Kim,
Your first line says it all and what is terribly wrong in our country,.
not MINE.
It is all about YOU and YOURS!

CGrove

Beck will squirm alright. You can count on that. He’s squirming already.

critten

Both sides have to agree for a settlement to take place. This kid does not need money. He is doing it to get Beck deposed, to see if he will perjure himself, with the ultimate goal being Beck getting his new name, “Sally”, at Walpole penitentiary for perjury. Beck will be asked to support the statements he has made. Since he was lying, that will be hard.

tammytnt

The kid has no leg to stand on. It is a bothersome lawsuit. Beck probably won’t even have to show up, it will just be dropped. Beck doesn’t put out info he hasn’t checked out and he must know more than you.

CGrove

Further proof that reality eludes you Tammytut. The case against Beck is overwhelming and he knows it.

http://gravatar.com/hummingharpman hummingharpman

Okay, Kathy, IF that is your name, I have heretofore refrained from comment, but this is more than enough horse crap from you, as supposedly a person with an advanced degree in psychology from “an ivy league university”….Major Nidal Hassan has one of those degrees also!….Remember him?!

critten

W T F does he have to do with it?

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Failed reading comprehension, did you?

tammytnt

People in the psychiatric business are the most screwed up people in society and commit the most suicides. Totally unstable

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

More slander.

Kathy Clark

Gary,

I’ve already told you: call Glenn Beck & tell him to sue me then.

I will welcome the lawsuit & look forward to the “Discovery” phase which will prove Glenn Beck is a delusional psychopath who needs to be put in a straight-jack & padded cell.

Ken Whalen

There is a difference between slander and fact.

Mo Reno

There is also a difference between apples and oranges, but that is just as irrelevant as what you posted.

critten

He’s a public political figure, he does not have much in the way of defense against slander, in fact, I have heard he loves it “prison” style with Hannity. Why doesn’t he deny this?

Kimberly Lawrence

Love it! and agree! i have absolutely no respect for those that love, respect, and spew his psychopathic rants. You just can not be that smart if you believe a word he says…period!

critten

He will be required to answer questions in a deposition, under oath. He is a known liar. Liars don’t do well under oath. He will either perjure himself or publically expose himself to be the liar he is. I predict he will do anything to settle it.

tammytnt

Monet, if you hate Glenn so much, why are you on his sight? Are you a hater??? Many people watch him and know he is a man of his word. He may not always be right, but he believes what he says and if he finds new info, he passes it on. He is not a liar, unlike our Oh Great and Powerful One, Lord and Majesty highest God of the land

Kathy Clark

Glenn Beck is a psychopath who intentionally slandered this man … glad he’s being sued.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

That sounds like slander to me.

Kathy Clark

So … sue me then.

& I shall repeat:
Glenn Beck is a psychopath who intentionally slandered this man … glad he’s being sued.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

I’m not the one who will sue.

But sounds like you have an obsessive compulsive disorder.

Kathy Clark

Gary

You won’t sue me & Glenn Beck won’t sue me either. However, I would welcome him to sue me for stating he is a ” psychopath who intentionally slandered this man” as I would love nothing more than to have Glenn Beck go through the “Discovery” phase whereby the proof of Glenn Beck’s untreated mental illness will be exposed.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

Whereas yours is plain for all to see.

Kathy Clark

Oh Gary

Glenn Beck’s untreated mental illness has been on public display for years.

In fact, Glenn Beck’s untreated mental illness was blatant even before Beck was fired from F’cks News

Snake Plissken

Yep, Glenn Beck makes L. Ron Hubbard look like he was playing with a full deck, in fact they both sound very similar.

Lol you need some serious help. ……and Beck wasnt fired from Fox……try proving that with some facts please….im curious

Kimberly Lawrence

Yes he was!!!

John Yorman

You’re the one that has either OCD or Asperger’s. The people that are obsessed with a certain religion typically are one of the two. I say this as a psych major from an ivy league school.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

How long have you been a patient there?

critten

I have heard it that he does Ted Cruz doggy style. Why hasn’t Beck not denied it if it isn’t true? Huh?

Icorps1970

Yes! Liberalism is a metal disease. I wonder if the DNC is helping with the lawsuit? Bet they wish they could work Rush into it too. They will have to prove malice on Beck’s part. Given the rep of young Saudis in international terrorism I still consider him a suspect. The Saudi’s have enough money to quash any investigation. If you think these things don’t happen when big money people are involved you have talked to enough DEA agents. The upper echelons of the drug world are mostly immune unless they REALLY screw up. Why? If they get too far up they may find links to politicians. Why would a Saudi national not have the same protection? Especially now with the current occupant 1600 PA Ave.? Say Kathy. Why no avatar of Obama bowing to the “King”?

Beck has a long history of prejudicial statements against muslims. He hates them. Malice will be easy to prove.

tammytnt

He just doesn’t like people who do evil. Jesus told us the Jews are his people and as Christians we know that Satan has a war waging against the people of God. We will stand with the people of God while they are being attacked by those who surround them. That is not malice, that is history and truth

CGrove

Tammytnt, there’s no evidence to support your fairy tale. You are delusional.

tammytnt

I only have Jesus’s word on it. God said the JEWS are HIS people and what ever you do to them, he will do back to you. Read the Bible, It is all there in black and white. You don’t believe God? That is your problem

Jason Luthor

And white people are known racists. Because stereotyping is fun, right?

Icorps1970

Actually it can be demonstrated from the first European settlement in America and a host of other places around the world to this day that Communism/Socialism (the logical end of “liberal” policies) does not work. But it makes some people feel good to attack the rich, the support the “oppressed”. Of course many Communists in America were appalled when Stalin died and they found out he was not a hero of the “people’s revolution” but a mass murderer that made Hitler look like a Choir Boy. Both should have died in their infancy. But by that time the Communist dupes here had already given Stalin the “bomb”. Islam? If anything Islam is a greater threat to free men than the Communists. This form of Gov’t carefully disguised as Religion is a horridly oppressive, brutal ideology that the average American has no real comprehension of. (Talk to some of the people that have served in Afghanistan, my first exposure to the facts was from a WW-II veteran who served in North Africa everything he said, it was only sentence or two has been proven in recent years.) If someone opposes them on these grounds or any other than are labled racist by the Muslims or their dupes even though Islam is not a race. THEN idiots here allow our own elected officials to attack OUR liberties in the most grievous manner on several fronts to “protect” us. When in reality they, as all forms of Gov’t eventually do have devolved into a ideology simply wanting to control EVERYTHING so they use the “crisis” to tighten their hold. But of course people watch the “news” and swallow that hook line and sinker. They think the Supreme Court gives accurate rulings on the Constitution and its original INTENT when they are now mostly just a selected political action committee that sometimes disagrees. People should read the Constitution, its written so any farmer in 1789 could understand it, and especially the Declaration of Independence and what IT says about King George. Then they could look up the Federalist papers and read them to see how it was explained in detail before ratification. Then perhaps they could consider Patrick Henry’s statement that even the Constitution with all the safe guards, the Constitution would only work if administered by “honorable men”. Sadly history has proven him right. IMO there have only been perhaps two honorable Presidents since I was born in 1950, Eisenhower and Reagan. JFK comes close if he could have kept his pants up. He did believe in the Country and was no Liberal. But he had the morals of a alley cat. The rest were all duds. Johnson? Nixon was not nearly as bad as he is portrayed compared to Clinton and Obama. First Bush was a Rino, Bush two had a shot at greatness but lacked the guts to see it through. But then other than Truman (tied to organized crime in Missouri) Eisenhower, Carter and Reagan the presidents in the last half of the 20th C to date have all come from the same place and they all seem to follow the same path. The Republicans just drag their feet a little.
So tell me oh liberals. What has liberalism REALLY accomplished? Should we look at Detroit? Should we look at taxes that stifle the economy? Modern economists think FDR (the first real Commie in the Whitehouse) actually extended the Great Depression with his “liberal” policies and Big Gov’t spending. But the people of the time were duped into thinking he was a savior with in reality he set in place the foundations for out current massive debt. How? He got to pack the SC with “liberal” justices that would rubber stamp his previously ruled Unconstitutional socialist/communist agenda. So now we have the welfare state that the founding fathers thought was impossible under their Constitution. And we continue to elect duds promoted by the “news”. Sadly Churchill had it right when he said “The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.” He also stated it was the worst form of Gov’t except “all the rest”. The problem is that the voters do not take time to think but seem to live on sound bites that are often distorted or carefully edited by the propagandists that control the “news”.

Before he was (probably) killed Lenin had figured out that the Communist system was unworkable but there were others that made sure he never got to promote this idea. Or so I have read.

Kimberly Lawrence

If I would have read this I would not have made the statement above. you are clearly not worth arguing with. Not smart enough to have a mind of your own. Go away!

tammytnt

You are absolutely right. The only difference I would add is many of our Presidents have been complicit in some degree of slowly pushing us into a OWG. All the Presidents since Kennedy (he refused to cooperate) have cooperated at least somewhat in the agenda. Bush Sr and Jr, Clinton, Obama,, even the peanut farmer all talked about the need of the OWG. Kissinger said Obama has been promised to become the first OWP, when he is done with us. God help us

Kimberly Lawrence

Anyone that would make such a broad statement that would include about 42% of your fellow Americans is not using their better judgement. I know it is s difficult to lose to someone you hate but that is your problem not ours. An intellectual would not write what you wrote about liberals being mentally ill. I do not like to exchange insults but I know for a fact that logic and intelligence are clearly not present in your side of this discussion. Not only that but you are clearly on the wrong side of this issue which you share with someone that has absolutely zero credibility (Glenn Beck). He is a bad joke at best!!!That sounds pretty mental to me!

tammytnt

Kimberly, just because you never learned right from wrong, good from evil does not mean you are a bad person, just mentally defective. But it is OK, there is a cure. Pray to God for insight and forgiveness

Seneca Wolf

And yet when the FBI does it it’s not a crime? They’ve been slandering the names of Ibragim Todashev & Heda Umarova who have done nothing wrong.

barry soetoro

FBI shot that moslem (in Orlando) 6 times in his apartment to silence him. He was friends with the Czechen brother who supposedly ‘acted alone’ in bombing the Boston Marathon. FBI (aka Hussein + Holder) don’t need moslems walking around spilling the beans that OBAMA is the real terrorist, funding and organizing for the Moslem Brotherhood. Obama’s brother is CFO of the Moslem Brotherhood. This Alharbi (saudi) is allegedly on terrorist watch lists for a reason.

These moslems aren’t fooling anybody.

critten

So, your meds are late again, I see….

aaronchi

I just want to know why we haven’t had an official response to the rumor that Glenn Beck raped and murdered a girl in 1990.

critten

Why hasn’t he denied it? Is it because he is guilty? Nothing but silence on this decades old report. The girl is dead, and cant say anything.

Populist democrat

IT WAS A SATIRICAL HOAX TO MOCK GLENN BECK’S MANNER OF SMEARING PEOPLE!

This time, Beck smeared and defamed the wrong person.

Uncle Richie Doofus

Anyone can file a law suit.

http://pislamonauseacentral.blogspot.com/ Gary Rumain

I heard it was you.

Populist democrat

That was an intentional hoax to give Beck a taste of his own medicine. Beck was forced to go to an international court to have that website taken down, just what the author of the hoax wanted.

Uncle Richie Doofus

Like you and your hate site.

Populist democrat

Let me know, Doofus, when you learn to make a little bit of sense. I won’t hold my breath.

Populist democrat

For a review of Beck’s sleazy attacks on Abdulrahman, google The Glenn Beck Review and see home page.

I doubt a court will actually take the case. To be “defamed” you have to, well, be famous to some degree, or broadly recognized, and prove it. I am sure that if you ask 1000 people who Abdulrahman Alharbi is specifically, before the Marathon, less than 1 will be able to respond accurately. The burden of proof placed on the plaintiff to prove their “fame” for a defamation suit is fairly high.

pixp

lol I didn’t even know who he was til this.

Mo Reno

This is an inaccurate description of the burden of proof in a defamation suit. The plaintiff has no element of “fame” to prove, in fact, it is easier to win your suit if you can prove you are NOT a “public figure.”

Alharbi is a public figure after his post of pictures to facebook with Moochele Obama. In fact, everyone is a “limited purpose” public figure if you post to facebook, This case should be thrown out. Curious why this guy visited the White House so many times before the incident in Boston. Like to know purpose of visit, which has not been disclosed.